My Cancer Journey: One Year in a Nutshell

After the horrific experience with the locum at my doctor’s office on July 26th, 2019, where the locum pronounces me dead, our Canadian / British Columbia medical system took over… thank goodness!

I was booked for multitudinous tests and doctor appointments (see list below), including one with my own doctor who discovered a suspicious piece of skin on my perineum and so I was sent for more tests.

In the meantime, after a trip to Vancouver for a Pet-scan in mid-October 2019, I finally learned that I did in fact have lung cancer. Honestly, knowing the results, however ominous, was a relief. Know that ‘a trip to Vancouver for medical treatment’ from our small town in the British Columbia interior involves an hour-long flight to Vancouver, at least one, if not two, nights in a hotel. Fortunately, the associated expenses for a trip like that are tax-deductible.

Please note, appointments in Penticton and Oliver (hometown) are local, Kelowna (overnight), Vancouver (require a flight and at least a two-night stay).

Here’s an abbreviated timeline of my appointments, consultations, surgeries, etc.

1. 2019/07/26 – Devastating Locum Appointment
2. 2019/08/01 – Appointment with Local Doctor – Dr. Selinger – Discovers ‘suspicious’ spot on perineum
3. 2019/08/02 – Bone Scan, Penticton
4. 2019/08/12 – Appointment with Local Doctor – Dr. Selinger
5. 2019/08/15 – Brain & Liver CT Scans – Penticton
6. 2019/08/20 – Mammogram – Penticton
7. 2019/08/26 – Respirolist Appointment – Penticton/li>
8. 2019/08/29 – CT Scan, Breathing Test, Respiroligist Appointment – Penticton
9. 2019/10/03 – Gyne Appointment – Penticton
10. 2019/10/18 – Fly to Vancouver
11. 2019/10/19 – Pet Scan
12. 2019/10/23 – Respiroligist Appointment – confirms lung cancer
13. 2019/10/31 – Gyne Pre-op consultation
14. 2019/11/01 – Bone Scan
15. 2019/11/12 – Thoracic Consultation in Oliver
16. 2019/11/26 – Pre-Admission Consultation – Kelowna
17. 2019/11/26 – Doctor Appointment – Penticton
18. 2019/11/28 – Fly to Vancouver pre-surgery
19. 2019/11/29 – Gyne consultation
20. 2019/12/01 – Call to confirm surgery
21. 2019/12/01 – Surgery, overnight in hospital
22. 2019/12/06 – After 4 nights post-surgery in a hotel, fly back to Penticton
23. 2019/12/09 – Gyne appointment hometown for results
24. 2019/12/24 – Gyne appointment hometown
25. 2020/01/03 – CT-scan – lungs… again
26. 2020/01/16 – Doctor Appointment – update on results
27. 2020/01/21 – Video Consultation with Thoracic Surgeon
28. 2020/01/24 – Gyne Appointment – update on results
29. 2020/01/31 – Pre-surgical screening – Kelowna, 1.5 hour drive away
30. 2020/02/11 – Bronchoscopy surgery – Kelowna, overnight
31. 2020/02/25 – Thoracic followup video call, Oliver
32. 2020/03/11 – Lung Cancer Surgery, Kelowna, 3 night stay
33. 2020/03/26 – Surgery followup with doctor
34. 2020/03/27 – Admission to hospital with collapsed lung, 5-night stay, NEW surgery to install chest tube
35. 2020/04/14 – Local doctor followup
36. 2020/04/20 – Thoracic surgeon followup by video in Oliver
37. 2020/04/27 – Gyne followup
38. 2020/05/11 – Local doc
39. 2020/06/03 – Hospital visit
40. 2020/06/29 – Gyne followup
41. 2020/07/20 – Pre-surgical consultation
42. 2020/07/29 – Surgery in Kelowna
43. 2020/08/03 – Chest x-ray
44. 2020/08/12 – Respirologist appointment, Dr. Broder
45. 2020/08/18 – Gardisal shot ordered by Gyne surgeon
46. 2020/08/27 – Local doc – Dr. Selinger
47. 2020/10/27 – Gardisal followup shot ordered by Gyne surgeon

That list doesn’t really reflect the travel and nights in hotels that we spent before and after appointments outside our local area.

Having said all that, I am cancer-free after 5 surgeries, for 2 cancers and 1 pre-cancer. All that above looks like NOTHING compared to having lived to see and enjoy another day with my family, friends AND, most of all, my beloved Jasper the Chocolate Labrador.